Grace Phipps, a fetching young actress who honed her skills in San Antonio, seems to be living a charmed life.

After just seven days in L.A., the talented graduate of the North East School of the Arts nabbed a prime part in a major movie. And there's more: Phipps, 19, is a huge fan of “Doctor Who” — David Tennant's Doctor in particular. And who also stars in “Fright Night”? You got it: Tennant.

“Meeting him was amazing,” Phipps, whose car sports a TARDIS bumper sticker, said in a phone chat. “I love Matt Smith as the Doctor, but David Tennant was my favorite.”

As I said, charmed. But wait, we're not finished. Phipps, a big devotee of the sci-fi/fantasy genre in general, also has landed a regular role in a TV series. And it's full of, as she put it, “supernatural stuff.” “The Nine Lives of Chloe King” debuts at 8 p.m. Tuesday on ABC Family.

It follows San Francisco high school student Chloe King ( Skyler Samuels), who, on her 16th birthday, learns she suddenly has developed heightened abilities — incredible sight, hearing and athletic skills. She also discovers she has retractable claws and is being pursued by a mysterious figure.

“It turns out she's part of an ancient Egyptian race that's part lion and part human,” Phipps explained.

While trying to contend with her exciting and oft-times creepy new life, Chloe attempts to remain a fairly normal teenager. This is where Phipps' character, Amy, comes in. As one of Chloe's best friends since childhood, Amy tries to be as supportive as possible of her friend's new, um, talents, while encouraging her to pursue a romance with a new guy ( Grey Damon, “Friday Night Lights”).

Chloe may be catlike, but Phipps said her character reminds her of “a Labrador. She is extremely loyal.

“Amy and I have a lot in common,” she added. “She's quirky, very musical, very creative and likes fashion.”

Describing the series as “Buffy-esque” — with a target audience of 13 to 30 — Phipps said she hopes it is enough of a hit to warrant a second season.

Phipps said she owes so much to her teachers and years at NESA. Though she was born in Austin and grew up in Boerne, she traveled to San Antonio every day to study musical theater at the school. An L.A. agent signed her after seeing Phipps in a production of “Grease.”

“The kind of training I got at NESA was so high-caliber,” she said, adding that her acting teacher, David Connelly, was especially key in helping her learn “how to get into a character.”

While filming “Chloe King,” she eagerly awaits the August opening of “Fright Night,” a remake of the 1985 horror film. It stars Anton Yelchin as Charley, a teenager who soon discovers his next-door neighbor (Colin Farrell) is a vampire and may be responsible for a series of murders. Phipps portrays Bee, the friend of Charley's girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots).

“Once again, I play the spunky friend,” she said.

Tennant plays a Criss Angel type magician whom Charley enlists to help him bring down his vampire neighbor. Phipps doesn't share any scenes with Tennant, she said, but was thrilled when she was asked to fill in at a table reading.

“I got to act off David Tennant,” she said. “I told him how much I admired his work. He puts so much energy into everything he does.”

She also informed him about “Doctor Who” appreciation nights at the Alamo Drafthouse here, which “are so, so fun,” she said. “He thought that was a cool thing.”

Her one disappointment?

“I kind of wanted to be turned into a vamp in the movie,” she said, “or get killed.”

Ah well, even a charmed girl like Grace may have to wait for some things.

Jeanne Jakle's column runs Wednesdays and Sundays in S.A. Life, and she blogs at Jakle's Jacuzzi on mySA.com. Email her at jjakle@express-news.net.